Knockdown rotary kite



May 20, 1958 L H. J. M E-rm 2,835,462

KNOCKDOWN ROTARY KITE Filed Feb. 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 20 [Q91 1 19it W I IN VE NTOR be 5.2M

ATTORNEYS 20, 1953 H. J. MARTIN 2,835,462

KNOCKDOWN ROTARY KITE Filed Feb. 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT ORATTORNEYS.

atent 2,835,462 Patented May 20, 1958 KNOCKDOWN ROTARY KITE Henry J.Martin, Saginaw, Mich. Application February 15, 1954, Serial No. 410,117

13 Claims. (Cl. 244-153) This invention relates to kites and moreparticularly to a knockdown rotary kite which can be readily assembledby children.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to design a kite whichrotates while in the air to produce an attractive animated effect.

Another object of the invention is to design a knockdown kite of thistype whose component elements can be readily manufactured and shipped insmall cartons zinc} the like and later, after sale, easily assembled bya c id.

A further object of the invention is to design a wellstabilized rotarykite which is light in weight and can be flown on days when there isrelatively little wind, yet which is of sturdy and durable constructionand can be flown in heavy winds.

Another object of the invention is to design a kite wherein simple andetficient means are acted upon by the wind to revolve the kite which isconstructed so that frictional and air resistance opposing rotation isminimized.

A further object of the invention is to design a kite comprisingrelatively few component parts of a simplenature which can beeconomically manufactured and sold in competition with conventional typekites.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsin the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat changes may be made in the form, size, proportion, and minordetails of construction, without departing from the spirit, orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective, elevational view of the kite in flyingposition, the arrows indicating the direction of the wind and thedirection of rotation of the kite.

Fig. 2 is a front, elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a rear, elevational view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a perspective, elevational view' of one of the vane members.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the kite, the broken linesindicating another position of the central shaft thereof.

Fig. 6 is a view of one of the strips which can be employed to form asupporting hoop.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, sectional view showing the free ends of thehoop strip in assembled relation.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, sectional view illustrating the manner in whichthe radially extending cords which connect the various elements of therotary member are tied in position.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which Ihave shown the preferred embodi merit of my invention, my kite comprisesbroadly a sta tionary central shaft 10 on which a wind-rcceivingcylindrical member 11 is rotatably mounted. The kite is designed so thatit can be readily assembled by a child from the prefabricated partswhich are provided.

Flexible, light metal or plastic strips 12 (see Fig. 6), formed with atongue 13 at one end thereof and a pair of transversely disposed slots14 and 15 at the opposite end maybe provided to form hoops forsupporting the light paper body 16 of the kite. The ends of the strips12 are joined as shown in Fig. 7 with the tongue 13 extending fromunderneath through the slot 14 and thence back through the slot 15, theextreme end of the tongue thence being bent reversely as shown. Thepaper body 16 which is shipped as a single tightly rolled sheet, can

then be glued to the outer peripheral faces of the hooped strips 12which are employed to support the ends thereof, the overlapped edges ofthe sheet being preferably secured with a suitable glue at 17. Clearly,the glue employed in assembling the kite should be of a type which isinsoluble in water and will be unaffected should the kite accidentallybecome wet.

It will be obvious that pairs of closely spaced openings 18 are providedat circumferentially spaced intervals in the hooped strips 12 and asharp tool may be employed to punch corresponding openings in the bodysurface 16 of the kite. Parallelly disposed, longitudinally extendingbraces 19 can then be secured in position by looping the outer endsof'radially disposed strings or cords 20 through each-pair-of openings18 and tying them around the braces 19 as shown in Fig. 8. The oppositeends of the cords 20 are tied to disk-like bearings 22 through openings21 provided therein.

Oppositely disposed segmental vanes V are provided angularly at the rearend of the kite, the vanes being preferably formed of heavy paper havingopenings 23 along the right angular edge thereof through which theinwardly at approximately a angle to a vertical plane taken through theaxis of rotation of the rotary member 11 in Figs. 2 and 3 and operate tospin the member 11 in a counter-clockwise direction when the kite isflying and they are struck by a wind which is proceeding in thedirection W.

It will be seen that the shaft 10 extends through bearings22 andprojects beyond the ends of the rotary member 11. Provided on the shaft10 is a stop 24 and mounted thereadjacent on the front face thereof andloosely on the shaft 10 is a disk-like bearing 24a. Since the cords 20are somewhat slack, it will be clear that the rotary member 11 has acertain flexibility when the foremost bearing 22 is in engagement withthe disk 24a, and further the member llhas a limited amount of axialplay on the shaft 10 (see Fig. 5) which minimizes frictional resistancewhen the kite is in flight and the member 11 is rotating.

-A stabilizer 25 which spans the front end of the kite is provided onthe front end of the shaft 10, and a stabilizer 26 is provided whichdepends from the rear end of the shaft 10 at approximately right anglesto the stabilizer 25. A line 27 is tied to the end of the stabilizer 26and extends through and is tied to a looped line 28 which is tied to therespective projecting ends of the stabilizer 25, the line 27 thenceleading to the ground as usual.

Gusts of wind proceeding through the cylindrical member 11 strike thevanes V and rotate the member 11 on the shaft 10, the rotation of thecylinder creating a lift in addition to the lifting effect of the windon the surface 16, which even on days on which there is thereby so thata lift is imparted to the kite.

3 relatively little wind, keeps the kite aloft. With the kite flying inthe position shown in Fig. l, the stop 24 prevents the member 11 fromslipping into engagement with the stabilizer 26 and there isrelativelylittle frictional drag due to rotation of the front diskbearing 22 relative to the disk 2411 or the disk 25 relative to the stop24. The tilt of the kite in the air (see Fig. 1) controls the rate ofclimb thereof," the air striking the .undersurface of the kite and beingturned downwardly Further, a lift is imparted to the kite by airproceeding into the rotating member 11 and being turned downwardlythereby. The tilt of the kite may be varied by adjusting the length ofthe line 27 between the line 28 and stabilizer 26, and it is of coursedesirable to do this in accordance with the amount of wind on a givenday. The relative disposition of the stabilizers prevents the kite fromrolling in the air about the point where the lines 27 and 28 are joinedand the ends thereof from swaying laterally with respect to one anotherin the wind. The longitudinal axis of the kite in the air is thusretained in the directional path of the wind.

It will be apparent that I have perfected a very practical rotary kitewhich can be very readily assembled and flown by children. on theoutside surface 16 so that the rotation of the member 11 is readilydiscernible from the ground and the animation is pleasurable.

What I claim is:

1. In a rotary kite, a tubular wind-receiving surface, a central axiallydisposed shaft extending beyond the ends thereof on which said surfaceis rotatably mounted, means catching the wind to cause rotation of thesurface, bearings on said shaft connected to said surface to rotatetherewith, a line for said kite, and means connected to the ends of saidshaft and to said line permitting the kite to fly with the longitudinalaxis thereof lying in the prevailing path of a wind current.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said means connected tothe ends of the shaft comprises a stabilizer member spanning one end ofthe kite and a second stabilizing member at the opposite end of the kitedisposed substantially perpendicular to said first mentioned stabilizingmember, flexible line means connecting the stabilizer members to saidline.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in whidh radially disposed cordsconnect the bearings and windreceiving surface.

4. In a rotary kite a tubular, cylindrical member open at the endsthereof, an axial shaft for said member extending beyond the ends ofsaid member, disks of relatively small diameter revolvable on said shaftadjacent each end of said member, radially disposed cords tied betweensaid disks and the ends of said member, stop means fixed to said shaftnear the front end' thereof for limited engagement with said disk on thefront end of said shaft, means on said member for causing rotation ofsaid member in the wind, stabilizer-means on said shaft for maintainingthe kite in steady flight with the axis of the kite disposed in thedirectional path of the wind, and a line for said kite leading from saidstabilizer means.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 in which said Suitable figures areprovided Cit .4 stabilizer means comprises a laterally disposedstabilizer bar on the front end of said shaft spanning said member withboth ends thereof extending beyond the edge of said member, a dependingstabilizer bar on the rear end of said shaft extending beyond the edgeof said member, said line connecting the ends of said lateral stabilizerbarand the depending end of the companion stabilizer bar to said line.

6. The combination defined in claim 4 in which said means for rotatingsaid member comprises diametrically opposed segmental vanes with anangular edge thereof connected to said radially disposed cords, the'other angular edge of each vane having laterally bent tabs secured tothe inner wall of said member, said vanes extending inwardly from therear end of said member at opposite angles with respect to the axis ofrotation thereof. I

7. The combination defined in claim 4 in which said member is mounted onstrips with the ends thereof interconnected to form hoops, the hoopsbeing spaced apart and supporting the cylindrical wind-receivingsurface.

8. The combination defined in claim 7 in which spaced apart pairs ofopenings are provided in said hoops and surface and longitudinallyextending braces are provided for said member, the outer ends of saidcords looping through said pairs of openings and being tied around saidbraces.

9. In a rotary kite, a tubular wind receiving surface open at theends,thereof to permit the passage of air currents therethrough,substantially axially disposed shaft means on which said surface ismounted, vane means on said surface for catching the wind to causerotation of the surface, a line for said kite, and means connected tosaid shaft means and to said line stabilizing the kite so that it flieswith its longitudinal axis lying in the prevailing path of wind current.

10. A kite construction comprising a hollow, cylindrical member; supportmeans for said member including a first part located substantiallyaxially within said member and other parts extending radially from saidfirst part and connected to said member; stabilizing means on said firstpart and operable during flight of said member to maintain the latter insuch position that its longitudinal axis lies substantially in thedirection of a wind current, said stabilizing means including anelongated element arranged normally to said first part; and a lineconnected to said stabilizing means for permitting captive flight ofsaid kite.

11. A construction as set forth in claim 10 wherein said first and otherparts are relatively rotatable.

12. A construction as set forth in claim 11 including vane means mountedon said member for imparting relative rotation of said member and saidfirst part.

13. A construction asset forth in claim 12 wherein said vane means aremounted within said member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS562,246 Rust June 16, 1896 671,865 Mowrer Apr. 9, 1901 2,137,559 AlgceNov. 22, 1938 2,501,442 Donaldson Mar. 21, 1950

